First week of Summer Vacation...

I have been looking forward for summer vacation for approximately the last 2 months. Waking everyone up and rushing the kids out of the house, packing lunches and running around for drop-offs and pick-ups was starting to wear on everyone...So when school school finished on June 25th I was thinking, ahh...relaxation time is here.

Here is a quick summary of the first week of summer vacation, followed by more details, mostly for my own recollection.

- picnics and swimming at the Park
- Perth Kilt Run
- house warming, Birthday party and BBQ
- Express renewal of Passports!!!
- hosted a Farewell dinner party with 13 kids!!! Where the parents DID get to sit
down for a meal!! The benefits of older children!!
- CANADA DAY downtown!!
- 3 kids with fevers
- NIAGARA FALLS!!!!
- spent the afternoon with relatives, including my dad's 2 sister's from India!!
- discovered 2 new wines that I liked! (not with the 'madi' relatives of course!)
- and back home to a 34 degree house...!!


Here are more details...

June 25th - Last day of school
- I had 4 four/five year olds over for an afternoon play
- walked everyone to school to pick-up Maya from school
- headed for a celebration picnic to Gatineau Park with Sofia and family. It was great, even Ajji learned how to throw a football. I hate to say, she is almost as good as I am!!!

Saturday June 26th
- relaxing morning, followed by a great afternoon/evening/night in Perth, to watch Kev BEAT Grant in the "Guiness Book of World Record - Perth Kilt Run"
- the evening was capped off with some Highland dancing followed by a 10pm Dairy Queen visit in Perth.

Sunday June 27th
- 9:00am House warming celebration at my sister's new house. That's right, 9am!!! I was hard getting the kids up and out after a late night!!
- after the house warming, the girls had a birthday party at the Science museum, and straight from there, we headed to the Keans for a BBQ to visit with the Masons..!!! Another late night, but was great to visit with everyone...

Monday June 28th
- woke up to Jaida having a fever...she was pretty happy, though it did explain her behavior for the days past.
- Maya woke up at 10:20am, and Tasha at 10:50am!!!! There sure were tired!!!
- we wandered to MEC, lunch and Starbucks with the Masons
- swimming at Champlain Park

Tuesday June 29th
- found out my aunts from India wanted to meet us in Niagara Falls
- Grant and I had to renew our passports, in a hurry!!!
- more swimming...at the park!

Wednesday June 30th
- took the girls the grocery story and LCBO, where they provided free and LOUD YMCA lessons to the customers as they entered!!
- Have you ever surounded your toddler in a double Chariot filled with Beer and wine? oh the looks you get!!
- Hosted farewell dinner, loads of kids and lots of fun!!!

CANADA DAY
- downtown Ottawa, wandering the streets. Got stuck in crowds of people, and met up with the Steiro's.
- found some Hip Hop dancers by the NAC, and the girls danced away!!
- came home to a Natasha with a raging fever!!

July 2nd
- woke up to find out that Maya too had a raging fever
- got everyone 'Advil'ed up and in the car headed to Niagara
- stopped at Maleta's winery for a tasting
- my sister stopped at Thirty Bench, where she bought delicious Riesling!
- stayed in Niagara on the Lake for 2 nights, and wandered around Old Town

July 3rd
- Headed to the American side to meet up with my relatives
- first time seeing the Falls from the 'other' side.
- saw the Falls at night, with the lights and caught some GREAT fireworks!

July 4th
- wandered around Old Town, Niagara on the Lake
- stopped at the Ravine vineyard for lunch - delicious and great place for kids to play!
- here I found more delicious Riesling!!!
- back home to Ottawa...to a hot hot house!

July 5th
- woke up to a nice warm house...pretty sure I have just stopped sweating!!!
- we spend the hottest part of the day at the Park, swimming and playing in the shade...

It has been a great week, busy but so nice for the kids to be out of school!!! Life is pretty good...!

Perhaps I'll post some pictures soon...